Interview of Deedee Cummings author of How to Dream: A Motivational Guide to a Life of Hope Success and Freedom (#Interview, #Contest- Enter to win a signed copy of the Book)

 

Book Title: How to Dream: A Motivational Guide to a Life of Hope Success and Freedom

by Deedee Cummings
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+) , 150 pages
Genre:  Inspirational/ Self-Help
Publisher:  Make A Way Media

Content Rating: PG.Just a couple words you can't say in school- no f-bombs

 

 

 About the Book:

 How do you dream in a world that actively crushes dreams?

Everything you’ve been told about dreams is wrong. Our dreams have been hijacked. Dreams aren’t just fanciful thoughts; dreams are the very reason we’re here. Yet, we’re constantly told they’re impractical, a waste of time. How to Dream, by best-selling author, therapist, and entrepreneur Deedee Cummings, is your guide to reclaiming the power of your dreams.

In this inspiring and practical book, Deedee uses her expertise and the art of storytelling to help you turn your dreams into reality. Whether you're just getting started or are well on your way, How to Dream offers doable steps and momentous mindset shifts that will make you unstoppable.

Drawing from her own journey and years of experience helping others achieve their goals, you will learn:

• Practical strategies to overcome self-doubt in a world filled with rampant negativity
• Powerful affirmations to fuel your success
• Actionable steps to put your dreams in motion
• Techniques to develop a growth mindset and become unstoppable

Packed with affirmations, strategies, and practical advice, How to Dream is the essential toolkit for anyone ready to take their life to the next level. If you're struggling to find direction, seeking to reignite your ambition, or need encouragement to stay the course, this book will inspire you to dream bigger, push harder, find freedom, and create the life you've always imagined.

​Don't let another day pass without pursuing your true potential. It's time to make your dreams a reality—starting now.

 INTERVIEW

How did you do research for your book?

My entire career as a therapist and working with families helped me write this book. Every day I sit in the chair in my office and I help one person at a time. I felt an urge to help more people, and I knew I needed to get the message out. This Summer I sat still and finally put everything I talk about as a therapist in a book! I am so hopeful that it will help more than one person in my office at a time.

What made you write a book about dreams?

Working with people every day, you have a front row seat to how easy it is to give up on yourself. On how easy it is to give up on life. My goal in writing this book was to inspire people to believe in themselves and in their dreams. Without a dream you have no purpose, and with out a purpose you might become filled with despair. Your dream is the reason why you are here.

There are many books on the topic of self-help. What makes your book different?

Several things. First, the book is my life’s work. This is actually what I do every day. I pour this information in to people so they will have hope and clarity in their lives. Secondly, the conversational tone of the book is much like being in an actual therapy session with me. The book is so easy to read because you can hear a clear voice and instantly you can feel that this voice has a message that needs to be shared with the world. I also made sure that the steps given in the book were practical. Real things that any reader can do. Dreams don’t happen overnight, but this book demonstrates the power of taking action, even in small steps.

Michelle @ Divas with a Purpose

What advice would you give to budding writers?

Write. Write now. Just start writing. You wouldn’t believe how many people want to write a book and just never do it. Stop thinking about it and get words on paper. If you are still struggling with that join a group that pours confidence into you like my Make A Way Mindset group. You need encouragement and accountability to make it happen if you are unable to get moving on your own. Stop thinking. Start writing. Get words on paper!

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing for ten years solidly. I wanted to write for years, which is why I gave the advice I did to just get a story down on paper. I did not publish my first book until I was 44 years old.

Where do you write?

This might seem like a silly or frivolous question, but it is not. IT is very important to have a space where your mind can be free. You can’t write at a desk crowded with bills. You can’t write where people will continually interrupt you. You need an area where your mind can be free. I write on my back deck. I am the most productive as a writer in the Summer.

Gina @ Gina Rae Mitchell

What is your next project?

The feedback from How to Dream has been great! I have a workbook coming out in November and a course around the beginning of the year to help dreamers plan their next steps. I am excited about my new Make A Way Mindset group. I have helped therapy clients one on one for years and now I can help thousands.

What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

Writing a book by far. Writing a book and putting it out into the world for others to scrutinize and pick apart. By far. That is the most courageous thing I have ever done.

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?

That I am not the overachiever that people think I am. That I got a slow start in life and feel like I wasted the first 20 years of my life. I spent the rest of my life making up for that and tried to take advantage of as many things in life as I could. My mom died in her 50’s. At the time she passed, I was young, and I thought she was old. Now I am that age and now I know that she was in her prime. I live my life like I will die in my 50’s. Life is like a big amusement park. I want to ride every ride.

 

About the Author:

Deedee Cummings is a professional dreamer. She is also an author of eighteen books, therapist, attorney, and mom from Louisville, Kentucky.

Cummings founded Make A Way Media in 2014 after struggling to find books with characters who looked like her own children and an extreme lack of stories that reflected their life experiences. Books published by Make A Way focus on hope, diversity, social justice, and therapeutic skills for children and adults. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, Forbes, NPR, USA Today, Essence Magazine, Psych Central, Well+Good, and The EveryGirl, among other media outlets.

In 2021, she was appointed to the Kentucky Early Childhood Advisory Council by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear acknowledging her decades long service to the children and families of Kentucky.

Deedee is also the founder of The Louisville Book Festival which celebrates its fifth year in 2024 and hosts over 150 authors and presenters from all over the country. She was inspired to work to highlight and celebrate a culture of reading in her community after working as an in-home therapist and visiting homes of children who had no books.

Cummings believes literacy is a fundamental human right. Her work highlights inspiring messages that remind us all it is never too late to begin again. She is currently working to adapt her latest children’s series inspired by the life of her daughter, Kayla Pecchioni (a Broadway actress) to a Broadway musical. Deedee recently founded the Make A Way Mindset program to teach the unshakable mindset she has developed as an entrepreneur of thirty years.

connect with the author:  website  ~ make a way media  ~ facebook  ~  facebook ~ pinterest ~ instagram ~ instagram ~ goodreads 

Buy the Book:  
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
​add to goodreads

 

 Contest: 

HOW TO DREAM Book Tour Giveaway

 

REVIEW OF SHE'S GOT ISSUES BOOK AND DVD BY NICOLE UNICE

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been reading and watching a new DVD curriculum called She's Got Issues: With Seriously Good News for Stressed-Out, Secretly Scared Control Freaks Like Us: A DVD Group Experience by Nicole Unice. It is designed for small group settings and is a six week course. The DVD includes a leader's guide and group handouts.


About the Book and DVD

We’ve all got our issues! Maybe you feel like life just isn’t going your way, or you’re afraid that you don’t measure up to other people’s expectations. Perhaps you have a hard time managing your temper or have someone in your life you just can’t forgive. We deal with our “issues” every day in one form or another; the problem is, after a while, they start to feel . . . normal. Unchanging. Just part of who we are. And we forget that we have access to the power of Christ—a power that can transform our everyday weaknesses into our greatest strengths and gifts.

In She’s Got Issues, Christian counselor, ministry leader, and regular mom Nicole Unice explores the ordinary issues that are keeping you from the full and free life you were meant to have. Applying years of counseling with practical scriptural teaching and a fresh and authentic voice, Nicole shows you how to let God freely shape your character—and transform your life from ordinary to abundant.



 My Thoughts:

The DVD and book are fantastic and full of information that is essential for all of us stressed out women. Nicole has a way with words and is able to bring faith into the book in a way that is not pushy and she made me think about my life. Chapter 7 "The Comparison Game" is an excellent chapter and discusses how we are constantly comparing ourselves to other people. She includes a assessment to find out where we fit in and how we can change our lives. According to the scores Nicole is able to provide us with insight and wisdom on how we can change the way we look at our selves and others.
All of the sessions on the DVD are short, easy to follow and just makes sense. The DVD discusses six major topics that include: Control, Insecurity, Comparisons, Fear, Anger and Unforgiveness. The DVD complements the book and I utilized the book when watching the DVD. I recommend that you obtain both the book and the DVD so you can get more information on the topic she is discussing.


Purchase the Book: Amazon
Purchase the DVD: Amazon
Books Site
Author's Site

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of the book and DVD from Tyndale House for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.

BLOG TOUR AND REVIEW OF EATING SMOKE BY CHRIS THRALL

I want to welcome Chris Thrall to Books R Us. Chris is the author of Eating Smoke and is touring the Blogosphere with Lightening Books Promotions. Thanks for stopping by.


Book Details:

Title: Eating Smoke: One Man's Descent into Drug Psychosis in Hong Kong's Triad Heartland
Author: Chris Thrall

Publisher: Blacksmith Book
Publication Date: October 16, 2011
Purchase: Amazon|Barnes & Noble.



About the Book:
 Chris Thrall left the Royal Marines to find his fortune in Hong Kong, but instead found himself homeless and addicted to crystal meth. Soon he began working for the 14K, Hong Kong's largest crime family, in the Wanchai red-light district. Dealing with the 'foreign triad' - a secretive expat clique connected to the Chinese mafia - he had to survive in the world's most unforgiving city, addicted to the world's most dangerous drug.

My Thoughts:


When I first read the title, I was intrigued and did not know what to expect. I have read many memoirs and Eating Smoke was fantastic. There was one line in the book  "I'm not a stupid guy, just an average guy who does stupid things." that was so true and made me realize that we all make mistakes in our lives. There were so many emotions depicted in the book that included fear, sadness, loneliness, frustration, humor and paranoia. As I read on, there were parts that I was swept away in the paranoia and I was unsure what scenes were real. Even when Chris was at his lowest, I still liked him and I was rooting for him. There were so many crazy characters that Chris met along the way who either helped him or drove him deeper into drugs. The book was well written and I finished it rather quickly. This is a great memoir full of emotions and I recommend the book to everyone. It will give you an insight into the world of drugs and how it can affect you and possibly your family.

Disclaimer:
I received a free copy of the book for my honest opinion and I was not compensated for my review.

Blog Tour and Book Spotlight of Surviving Emily by L. Bellesheim

I want to welcome Laurie Bellesheim to Books R Us. Laurie is the author of the Surviving Emily. She is virtually touring the blogosphere. Thanks for stopping by. 

About the Book:

 When Abigail went to wake her best friend Emily, she had no concept of the nightmarish horror she was about to encounter; unbeknownst to Abigail, Emily suffered from epilepsy, and she was the victim of Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy. Emily’s death left a void in Abigail’s life, but Abigail was not the only one affected by the loss. Emily’s longtime boyfriend, Stephen, was shattered by the loss of the girl he planned to marry. In the years that pass, the two survivors find different ways to cope with their friend’s death. Stephen tries to drown his sorrows in booze, drugs, and meaningless encounters with faceless women; eventually, he pulls his life together, but he finds himself unable to commit to love again. Abigail buries her sadness so deep that even her husband doesn’t fully understand her loss; Abigail herself doesn’t realize how badly she was hurt by the events of her past until she encounters a client with epilepsy through her work in the Department of Children and Families.

Newly pregnant and struggling to deal with her epileptic client, Abigail crosses paths with Stephen once more. Stephen is in a foundering relationship with a caring and supportive nurse, but he finds himself unable to commit to the level that his girlfriend, Carolina, needs and deserves. Through a series of amazing events Stephen and Abigail manage to find peace with the events of that tragic day so long ago as well as the fortitude to continue on the paths that their lives had laid before them. Full of heartbreak and loss but ultimately hope, Surviving Emily is a compelling story that explores the meaning of everlasting friendship and the healing power of love. 

About the Author:   
  

Surviving Emily is based on author Laurie Bellesheim’s personal experience with Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy; at the age of 18, Bellesheim lost a close friend to this silent killer. Prior to writing this, her first novel, Bellesheim worked as a social worker with the Department of Children and Families. A graduate of Southern Connecticut State University with a bachelor’s degree in social work, Bellesheim resides in rural Connecticut with her husband and their three children.

Connect With the Author:

 Facebook.

 Twitter.

 Website.

Purchase the Book:

 Amazon.

 Barnes & Noble.

Read an Excerpt.

Prologue

IT WAS THE year 1990, the morning of November 11th. Abigail woke up to the sound of her alarm clock; she and Emily were scheduled to work early. But little did she know as she tossed back her covers and stepped outside her bedroom that morning what was waiting for her in the room across the hall. In the few steps she took, the dreams of her youth were destroyed, a friendship was shattered, and the life she knew took a whole new course.
With her heart pounding viciously in her chest, Abigail rushed down the stairs. She ran as fast as she could to the farthest end of the house to her mother’s bedroom. Her mother was already opening her door. At the sight of her, Abigail fell to her knees. A sudden ache for a breath and a tightening in her chest left her too weak to speak.
Her mother dug her fingers into Abigail’s arms as if attempting to lift her up. Abigail felt her mother’s fingers bruising her skin.
“What is it?” her mother shouted, nearly breaking into tears. “Abby, what’s wrong?” Worried Abigail had been gravely hurt; she pulled her daughter’s clenched hands apart.
“It’s not me,” Abigail cried out. “It’s Emily!” She looked at her mother helplessly, unable to find the words to explain.
It was enough to propel her mother down the hall and into the kitchen, where she grabbed the phone from the wall. A second later she was back in the hallway, pushing the portable phone into Abigail’s hand.
A distant voice asked, “What is your emergency, please?” but Abigail couldn’t answer right away. She was too busy listening to her mother run up the stairs, hearing her bare feet pound on each wooden step, waiting for her inevitable scream.
“It’s my friend. My friend Emily is dead.”

* * * 

The house became filled with the sounds of the front door opening and closing and footsteps pounding up and down the hardwood stairs. From her perch in the bay window, Abigail saw a coroner pull into the driveway and watched a policeman on the front stoop pull on rubber gloves. A man carrying a camera brushed past her on his way through the living room. And as the static noise from the policemen’s radios pulsed inside her head, she began to wonder if any of what she was seeing was real. Other than the occasional policeman stopping to question her, she felt as if she was trespassing on the stage of a theatrical production that wasn’t meant for her to see. She felt like she was outside herself, watching the tragedy unfold.

More frighteningly, she knew that at any moment Emily’s father would come. He would waver through her door, the very same one the paramedics had torn through, and he’d want to see his daughter. Abigail heard the whispers of the policemen from where she sat by the window. Not only had they found Emily’s father, but they’d also heard about Stephen, Emily’s long-time boyfriend, who’d also been at her house the night before. Soon he’d come as well. She thought about how she’d face them, the two men who loved Emily most. How she would sit and watch their hearts shatter to pieces all over her living room floor as they were told. She couldn’t fathom such a moment and was terrified every time the front door opened.
A while later, still trying to process all that had happened, Abigail slipped away from the chaos and tiptoed back up the stairs. She’d been instructed not to go upstairs, but the desire to see Emily was too strong. She saw no harm; after all, it was her house. But as she approached the top step, she was confronted with another shock. Two men wearing rubber gloves rummaged through her bathroom. One sifted through her personal items while the other one examined her trash. She couldn’t imagine what they looked for but was too appalled to ask. It was an image she would not soon forget.
With her mouth gaping in disbelief, she turned towards Emily’s bedroom. Across the room another man knelt by the window. The blinds were torn down, and the morning sun was trickling in all around him, leaving small squares of light across the hardwood floor. Outside the window, red and orange leaves swirled in a cool November breeze as their long twisted branches cast distorted shadows across the eaves. Beneath the shadows, Emily’s lifeless, sheet-covered body lay on the bed, barely missing the path of the sun’s warm glow. The man was busy dusting the blinds for fingerprints; she recognized this from the legal drama series she sometimes watched on television. He didn’t seem to notice her standing there, nor did he seem to hear her. Abigail gasped as she felt like a thousand bee stings hit her, all at once. Emily had died, and not even the police understood why.

Stop by the next stop on the blog tour on 10/22- A Twitter Blast with Pandora Poikilos . 


Entire Blog Tour

REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY OF HOW TO PREVENT A SECOND HEART ATTACK BY J.BRILL PH.D (US ONLY)

 __________________________________________________________

CONTEST CLOSED

Even if you do not have any cardiac issues you should read Prevent a Second Heart Attack: 8 Foods, 8 Weeks to Reverse Heart Disease so you do not become it's next victim.

According to the American Heart Association roughly 1.5 million people will have a heart attack this year and 38 % will die from it. Those are really upsetting numbers but scientific evidence shows that more than 80% of heart attacks can be prevented by lifestyle changes in both men and women. This is where the book comes in. The author provides guidelines that can help prevent your first heart attack and others after. The book provides a simple and easy to follow lifestyle plan (diet and exercise) to help heart attack survivors to live longer. 

General Lifestyle Advice: (We could all use a little advice in our lives)

1. Eat a heart- healthy diet. ( Explained fully in the book)
2. Reduce your stree in your life.
3. Become physically Active. (remotes do not count)
4. Don't smoke.
5. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. 
6. Take your medications if prescribed.

I have always known that fish, nuts, vegetables and red wine has always been good for you but the book explains how they help the body reverse heart disease. There are great recipes and two weeks of meals plans to assist you in implementing the program. The author has written an excellent article about the importance of walnuts in your diet. You can read it here

While reading the book you will learn- 

1. Why the Mediterranean diet is one of the best diets to follow.
2. What is LDL AND HDL and how it affects our bodies.
3. How "Good Carbs" such as oatmeal, popcorn and whole grains reduce our bad cholesterol (LDL), prevent high blood pressure and control your weight.
4. Why fish is important for hearth health.
5. Why having a glass of red wine with dinner is good for your heart.
6. How exercise helps to increase your good cholesterol (HDL).
7. How Dark chocolate helps protect our heart ( 1oz, 70% cocoa)

 Read an Excerpt-
Authors Website-


About the Author-

 Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., is a diet, nutrition, and fitness expert who has appeared on national television. She is the author of Cholesterol Down: Ten Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in Four Weeks--Without Prescription Drugs and specializes in cardiovascular disease prevention. Dr. Brill lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and three children.

   
My Thoughts-


The books was fantastic, easy to read, informative and complete. As a Registered Nurse, I am familiar with the topics discussed in the book but in reading the book, I learned so much more about heart health. All of the information discussed was presented in a way that was concise and easy to understand. I especially liked the chapter that discussed what the underlying cause of heart disease-Atherosclerosis and how it affects the arteries. When I was growing up, my family always ate food rich in butter and creams unaware of what we were doing to our bodies. Now my family watches our fat and sugar intake to prevent heart disease and diabetes. The book was well researched and the information was up to date. I recommend the book to everyone to help them protect their heart. Would you like to win a copy of this great book?

Thanks to the author, I am able to giveaway 1 copy of the book.

Main Entry - USA ONLY



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Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review. Please see my disclosure Policy.

BLOG TOUR OF THE BOOK THE LIFE READY WOMAN (CONTEST)

 The The Life Ready Woman: Thriving in a Do-It-All World by S. Feldhahn and Robert Lewis is a fresh perspective on life and it's problems. This is what the publisher has to say. 

Whether a stay-at-home mom or an airplane-hopping executive, a student or a senior adult, most women need a contemporary, encouraging vision for what it means to be a godly, biblically guided female in the twenty-first century. A biblical woman takes God’s Word seriously not just at church but also in the everyday walk of life.
But can a significant and satisfying twenty-first-century womanhood really be defined from Scripture? One that can apply to all women and yet not be guilty of cookie-cutter sameness, pressing everyone into a common mold? One that will stay fresh even as a woman grows older? One that can guide her to the best in life? The answer is yes, and the result is a femininity without excesses and regrets that mark those who just go with the flow of the world.
In The Life Ready Woman, best-selling author Shaunti Feldhahn helps readers take five faith steps drawn from the Bible that will help to define the best life possible. Each one is easy to understand, but requires bold faith to activate. The reward is being ready for the deeper life that God has planned.

About the Authors-

Shaunti Feldhahn is a former Wall Street analyst, best-selling author of the book For Women Only, national speaker, and regular commentator in the media. She has been featured on The Today Show, PBS, TNT and Fox News- to name a few. You can learn more about her many activities by visiting her website Shaunti.com or get some great mom advice from her at MomLifeToday.com. She and her husband live with their two young children in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoy every minute of living at warp speed.
 

Robert Lewis is the best-selling author of Raising a Modern-Day Knight and Rocking the Roles: Building a Win-Win Marriage. He and his wife, Sherard, have four children and live in Little Rock, AR.

My Thoughts-

I enjoyed the book. I was taught by my parents to go out into the world and be independent. My family was not very religious and after reading the book, I realized that the women of the past were similar to the women of today.

In the book, the authors discuss many topics including-

1. I am Woman- What does the Bible say about equality and the roles women play today.
2. A Satisfied Life- Do we have a life that is rewarded with satisfaction and gratitude? The bible can help us work through the issues that we may have.
3. What the Issues actually are- Some of the issues discussed are femininity,Motherhood, the do it all role, and a life full of unlimited choices that can make a women's life difficult.
4. A Biblical Definition of Womanhood, Marriage and Family- The Bible lays out certain patterns that God wishes us to follow.
5. Where it Comes Together- God gives three major callings to the Human Race. How does this effect the way we live and interact with others.

 There are many more interesting topics discussed in the book.I have a career, a great husband and two wonderful teenagers but the book helped me to open my eyes a little more about life. As I read the book, I realized that you can not have everything you want in life. We have to compromise a little to live a full and spiritual life. There were questions posed throughout the book to make you think about what you are doing with your life and there were simple answers that were easy to follow and made sense. I have read many faith based books that I found hard to read but this book was just great, informative and a quick read. It was not boring. Even if you are not a spiritual person, you will benefit from the information contained in it. There is even a Life Ready Woman Training kit (DVD) that helps explain the book and empower you.

Blog Tour Schedule

In celebration of Shaunti Feldhahn’s Life Ready Woman, MomLife Today is giving away 2 Weekend To Remember Gift Packs and much more!

Not only, is MomLife Today helping promote Life Ready Woman, but they are thrilled to announce that Shaunti will be joining MomLife Today as a regular contributor!!!

Weekend To Remember Get-Aways offer marriage-changing principles that you can take home and apply to your daily lives to strengthen your marriage. Whether you are newly engaged or have been married for 50 years, you will find value in the tools provided at the getaway.

Don’t miss this opportunity to receive a conference registration for you and your spouse … and more! MomLife Today will be randomly selecting NINE lucky recipients to receive one of these great gifts:

1. 2 Weekend To Remember Get Away conference registrations for two. $259 value each pair (Two couples will receive this.)
2. 2 Life Ready Woman DVD packs. $149 value each (Two different people will receive this gift.)
3. 5 The Life Ready Woman books. (Book will go to 5 people.)

To enter click one of the icons below then tell your friends. Winner will be announced on March 2nd on the MomLife Today website.

MomLife Today provides encouragement, advice and resources to help YOU with your daily Momlife! Because…every MOMent counts!

For more information please visit the Litfuse website, www.litfusegroup.com .

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.